Rudy Perpich facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rudy Perpich
34th & 36th Governor of Minnesota
In office January 3, 1983 – January 7, 1991
Lieutenant	Marlene Johnson
Preceded by	Al Quie
Succeeded by	Arne Carlson
In office December 29, 1976 – January 4, 1979
Lieutenant	Alec G. Olson
Preceded by	Wendell R. Anderson
Succeeded by	Al Quie
39th Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
In office January 4, 1971 – December 29, 1976
Governor	Wendell R. Anderson
Preceded by	James B. Goetz
Succeeded by	Alec G. Olson
Member of the Minnesota Senate from the 63rd district
In office January 8, 1963 – January 4, 1971
Preceded by	Elmer Peter Peterson
Succeeded by	George F. Perpich
Personal details
Born	Rudolph George Prpić (1928-06-27)June 27, 1928 Carson Lake, Minnesota, U.S.
Died	September 21, 1995(1995-09-21) (aged 67) Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.
Political party	Democratic (DFL)
Spouse	Delores "Lola" Perpich
Children	2
Profession	Dentist
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1946–1948

Rudolph George Perpich Sr. (June 27, 1928 – September 21, 1995) was an American politician. He served as the Governor of Minnesota for over 10 years. This makes him the longest-serving governor in Minnesota's history.

Perpich was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL). He was governor twice: from December 1976 to January 1979, and again from January 1983 to January 1991. He was the only Roman Catholic governor of Minnesota. He was also the only governor to serve terms that were not back-to-back. Before becoming a politician, he worked as a dentist.

Early Life and Education

Rudolph George Prpić was born in Carson Lake, Minnesota. This area is now part of Hibbing. His father, Anton Prpić, was a miner who came from Croatia. His mother, Mary (Vukelich), was an American with Croatian roots.

Rudy did not learn English until he started elementary school. When he was 14, he began working for the Great Northern Railway. He finished Hibbing High School in 1946. After high school, he served two years in the United States Army. He then went to Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He graduated from Marquette University Dental School in 1954. After that, he returned to Hibbing to work as a dentist.

How He Entered Politics

Perpich started his political career on the Hibbing school board in 1955–56. This board became known for making sure men and women workers received equal pay. In 1962, he was elected to the Minnesota Senate. He represented the 63rd District, which included parts of Saint Louis County. He was reelected to the Senate in 1966.

In 1970, Perpich was elected the 39th lieutenant governor of Minnesota. He was reelected in 1974 alongside Governor Wendell R. Anderson. Before 1974, the governor and lieutenant governor were elected separately in Minnesota. Perpich became governor in 1976. This happened when Governor Anderson resigned to become a U.S. Senator. Perpich was the first person from the Iron Range area to become governor.

His Campaigns for Governor

In 1978, many DFL Party candidates lost their elections. This included Perpich and the candidates for both U.S. Senate seats. Many people believed this happened because of how Anderson became a Senator and Perpich's role in it.

After losing, Perpich worked for Control Data Corporation in New York and Austria. In 1982, he decided to run for governor again. He won the primary election against the DFL Party's chosen candidate, Warren Spannaus. Then, he defeated Wheelock Whitney in the main election. Perpich also served as the leader of the Midwestern Governors Association in 1984.

Perpich won reelection in 1986. However, he lost to Arne Carlson in 1990. This was a very unusual campaign. Carlson had lost the primary election to Jon Grunseth. But Grunseth had to withdraw from the race just two weeks before the election due to allegations. Carlson then took his place. Perpich was the last DFL governor of Minnesota until Mark Dayton was elected in 2010.

His Unique Style and Global Goals

Perpich was known for his unique and sometimes funny behavior. While he was governor, he once gave his $25,000 pay raise to help promote the sport of bocce. He also suggested building a chopstick factory in northern Minnesota. He even proposed selling the governor's mansion in Saint Paul to save money.

The magazine Newsweek gave Perpich the nickname "Governor Goofy." This nickname showed how people felt about his habits – a mix of affection and frustration. Toward the end of his time in office, some wondered if he would aim to become president. Others worried his actions might make Minnesota voters dislike the DFL party.

However, many later saw Perpich's active approach as important for Minnesota's economy. Even his 1990 opponent, Arne Carlson, said in 2005 that Perpich "was the first person that I was aware of to focus on the international role that states are going to have to play."

Perpich helped create many important projects in Minnesota. These include the Minnesota World Trade Center in Saint Paul. He also helped establish the Perpich Center for Arts Education in Golden Valley. Other projects include the Center for Victims of Torture in Minneapolis, and the University of Minnesota Duluth Natural Resources Research Institute. He also supported the creation of the Mall of America in Bloomington.

He worked to promote Minnesota around the world. In 1984, he traveled to 17 countries. In 1990, he brought leaders like Mikhail Gorbachev from the Soviet Union and Dr. Franjo Tuđman from Croatia to Minnesota.

Perpich did not agree with the U.S. government's support for a war against Nicaragua in the 1980s. He was one of several governors who did not want their National Guard units to train in Honduras. This was where the U.S.-backed Contras, who were fighting in Nicaragua, were based. Perpich was part of a 1990 U.S. Supreme Court case, Perpich v. Department of Defense. This case decided that the U.S. Department of Defense could send state National Guard units overseas even if the governor disagreed.

After His Time in Politics

After leaving office in 1991, Perpich went to Zagreb, Croatia. He helped its government after the end of communism. In 1992, he moved to Paris, France, for a business job. He returned to Minnesota in 1993.

In 1995, Rudy Perpich died from colon cancer. He was 67 years old. He passed away in Minnetonka, a suburb of Minneapolis. He is buried in Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis.

See also

• Perpich Center for Arts Education
• Saint Louis County Road 4 – Governor Rudy Perpich Memorial Drive